Heriot-Watt University signs MOU with Edexcel

The MOU, which is one of the first of its kind in the region, will provide students who have been awarded an Edexcel BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) with a pathway for entry into a Heriot-Watt University degree programme at its Dubai campus.

Edexcel offers both academic and professional qualifications and testing to thousands of schools, colleges, employers and other places of learning globally, and has over 4m learners enrolled on its highly regarded courses in more than 85 countries. Edexcel is the UK's largest provider of academic and vocational qualifications, and part of Pearson, the world's leading provider of education services.

In the UAE, Edexcel works with many private institutions as well as government funded training providers responsible for educating the local population, which include the National Institute for Vocational Education, the Institute for Vocational Development and the Sharjah Institute of Technology.

Students who obtain an HND qualification from Edexcel within a relevant subject, including Textiles, Management and Engineering, will have the opportunity to apply for an accelerated placement into one of Heriot-Watt University Dubai's degree programmes. This MOU will encourage students across the region to pursue professionally relevant degrees, developing a highly skilled home-grown workforce which meets local industry and business demands.

Speaking about the new MOU with Edexcel, Professor Brian Smart, a Deputy Principal of the University and Executive Dean and Head of the Dubai Campus, said, "We are delighted to be working closely with an internationally-recognized educational organization such as Edexcel, as this opens up new opportunities for deserving students in the region to study and obtain our world class degrees.

"High quality education is key in this rapidly developing region, and we will continue to demonstrate our commitment to the region's development by providing relevant vocational degree programmes, producing well rounded graduates who are very well equipped to go out and meet all of the opportunities and challenges that define modern employment."

Mark Andrews, Edexcel's MENA Regional Director, commented, "We are delighted to have signed this MOU with Heriot-Watt University Dubai. Many of our students look to progress to an undergraduate degree programme, and we are pleased to be able to offer them an accelerated opportunity to obtain an internationally recognized, high quality degree."

Heriot-Watt was the first international university to open its doors in Dubai International Academic City in 2005, and is arguably Scotland's most international academic institution, with one third of its students on campus in Scotland being from outside the UK.

Heriot Watt's Dubai Campus has grown from strength to strength over the past three years, and is expected to reach over 2,000 students by 2012 as the University's reputation grows in the Middle East region as the University of choice for high quality UK education.